Beneath the Bridge
by InYourNightmares
Summary: When Cherry's spoilt and rich cousin is sent to live with her in La Push, it seems like things couldn't get worse. Cherry hates Brooke, and Brooke hates La Push. And when a sandy colored wolf gets unwillingly dragged into the picture, all this bad blood may be too much for him to handle. SethxOC EmbryxOC
1. Chapter 1

**A/N – Okay, guys, first of all, I'm going to apologize to any of who might have been reading my last story, Cherries and Cakes. It is complete for now, but I may go back in the future and add some more. But right now, a new idea popped up into my head, so I have to try that out first. I suggest you read Cherries and Cakes before this, though it's not absolutely necessary. I'll try to make it so that people who haven't read that either will be able to follow this one. My previous OC, Cherry, will be featuring a lot in this one, despite not being the main character. I just love her too much. **

**Happy Reading!**

**x… xxx…. Xxx…. Xxxx…. Xxx..**

**Chapter 1** (Cherry's POV)

I stared at my mother. And stared and stared and stared.

"Can you say that again?" I asked her. Because obviously, I must have heard something wrong. Clearly, what she had just told me could _not_ be true. So I'd just give her a chance to explain, and we'd clear things up.

"Cherry, stop being difficult."

"I'm not being difficult! I'm just asking you to repeat what you said. How is that so hard?"

"You know perfectly well what I just said."

I slumped back in my seat in disappointment. So much for me hearing things wrong. This just couldn't be true. My life was about to be ruined. Totally and completely ruined.

"So, why is she coming?" I asked my mother, moodily. "Did her parents get sick of her too? Because honestly, I wouldn't be surprised."

"Cheryl Allen, you will _not _speak about your cousin that way." Mom told me sternly. Dad just smiled at me while she wasn't looking. "It seems that your cousin has started straying onto the wrong path. Her parents felt that it might be better for her here in La Push, because there would be… fewer temptations."

_Fewer temptations? _Like I didn't know what that meant.

"Yeah? A rehab centre might be more effective…" I muttered. Mom ignored me, while Dad gave me another smile. He seemed to find the situation somewhat amusing. "What are you smirking at?" I demanded, glaring at him. "You're not the one that has to spend the rest of the year with the spoilt brat!"

"Maybe this will do you some good. You can learn to get along with your cousin. After all, there's no harm in being nice to her. It's for a good cause."

A good cause? If I wanted to work for a good cause, I'd spend a year with poor starving children in Africa or India. Not with my bratty cousin. But my parents wouldn't listen to me. After all, they didn't like the idea much either. I could tell that Mom was only agreeing because she couldn't refuse my aunt.

"Well, then, may I be excused?" I asked, a little sarcastically. "I'm going to go meet some friends. I suppose I have the right to savor my last few days of freedom? "

"Go on." Mom muttered, and I quickly raced out of the door.

I walked down to the beach, trying to keep my mind off my cousin. After all, there was no point ruining my mood. Instead, I smiled to myself, forcing my thoughts to stray around Embry. At least that would make me feel better.

"Cherry!" Quil greeted, noticing me first. The guys were all hanging around the beach, most of them shirtless. It had taken me a while, but I'd finally managed to be able to look them in the eye without blushing at their half-naked state. Though it wasn't like any of them noticed. I once asked Embry _why_ they all felt the need to go around partially dressed all the time. He 'd shrugged, and replied that it was simply more comfortable that way.

Apparently, comfort was more important than decency.

"Hey guys!" I called back, smiling as I got closer to them. Claire was the one who seemed the most eager to see me, and she ran out of Quil's arms to give me a huge hug. Well, technically, she wasn't big enough to hug me, so she ended up just awkwardly wrapping her arms around my stomach. "Whoa, relax! You just saw me yesterday!"

"I like giving hugs!" She replied, with a smile. She gave my stomach one last squeeze before running back to Quil. He just smiled lovingly at her.

I walked on down past them, and sat down beside where Kim and Emily were stretched out on the sand. Seeing Emily out of the kitchen was rare, and this was one of her few trips actually coming to the beach with everyone else. She usually ended up staying back and getting the food ready for whenever we returned. Weirdly enough, I don't think she minded much.

"There you are." Kim said, when she saw me. "We've been waiting for you."

"My parents held me back. Apparently we're going to be having a house guest."

"Who?"

"My cousin, Brooke. She's from New York."

"Is she hot?"

The last question, unsurprisingly, did not come from Kim. Brady and Collin were wrestling each other a few feet away, but they'd stopped to listen to our conversation. I rolled my eyes, and turned to them.

"She's a brat."

"Doesn't answer my question."

"I'm not exactly qualified to judge."

They both grinned lecherously at each other, and I could automatically assume what they were thinking. Disgusting hormonal boys.

"Oi!" A voice growled, and I saw Jared walking towards us with Sam and Paul. They were both soaking wet. "Didn't I tell you two not be perverted in front of my girlfriend?"

"They didn't say anything." Emily defended them kindly, but Jared wasn't convinced.

"They don't _need_ to. I have access to their thoughts, unfortunately. You should hear some of the things these guys dream about."

_Sick._ Deciding it was time to leave the conversation, I quickly got up, dusting the sand off my pants. I could see Embry and Jake in the distance, and I quickly ran to catch up with them. Unfortunately, running in the wet sand is never a good idea. I slipped and landed flat on my face.

"Oomph!"

A pair of familiar warm hands helped me up, and I heard a chuckle. My face flushed red. _Way to embarrass yourself, Cherry!_

"So eager to see me, huh?" Embry asked, with a grin. I rolled my eyes.

"Gosh, yes, Embry, I'm just _falling_ over my feet in haste."

"No worries, babe. I'll always catch you."

Jake, who was standing nearby, raised his eyebrows at us.

"Ew. Get a room."

I narrowed my eyes at him. It wasn't like Embry and I were constantly showing PDA or anything. As a matter of fact, I'd never even kissed Embry in front of anyone else before. Unlike Jared and Kim, who were constantly making out in public. So Jake had no right saying that to us.

"Just because Cullen won't let you lay a finger on his daughter…"

"Okay, okay, chill! I can take a hint, I'll go."

Jake left, leaving us alone. I smiled at Embry, and he wrapped his arms around me tight.

"Ew! You're wet, get off!"

"And _you're_ covered in sand. I'm not complaining, am I?"

"Yeah, well, I have every right to complain." I retorted, with a grin. "Nobody wants to be hugged by a wet dog."

Embry's eyes narrowed.

"Take that back."

"No way."

Embry chased me around the beach, and I squealed when he picked me up and threw me in the water, fully clothed. So obviously, I had to dunk him in return. By the time we finally crawled out, exhausted (or at least, _I _was exhausted) the sun had nearly set.

Life was good.

But everything was about to change. All because of Brooke.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2** (Brooke's POV)

I sunk down lower into the seat, as Aunt Jenna smiled at me forcefully. She was driving the car, and from the tight expression on her lips, I could tell that she didn't want me. Obviously not. I mean, god knows what my parents told them, they probably think I'm some kind of a drug addict.

Which is totally untrue. I mean, I _did_ try drugs, once, but that was only because a friend of mine pressured me into it. Obviously, I realized what I was doing, and I stayed away from her. She was too wasted to care. I guess that was what most of the kids in the rich parts of New York were like.

I can't say that I was entirely different. It's not possible to live among people like that without _some_ of their characteristics rubbing off on you. I mean, I did what I had to survive. That involved being a bitch most of the time, and somewhere along the line, I got used to it. Maybe I even liked it.

"Are you comfortable?" Aunt Jenna asked me again. I just nodded silently. But she seemed determined on getting me to speak. "I'm sure you'll like it here. There's a wonderful school on the reservation, everyone's really welcoming. And you'll have Cherry to show you around, she'll introduce you to all her friends."

I almost snorted. Cherry hated my guts. She'd made that pretty clear a few years ago, when she and her family had come to New York for a visit. We'd bickered and fought for nearly two weeks until neither of our parents could take it anymore. They cut their trip short, and left a week earlier than planned.

"When do I start school?" I asked Aunt Jenna. She seemed a little relieved that I'd finally spoken.

"Tomorrow, if you want. It might be better for you to start as soon as possible, because you have a lot of work to catch up on. The syllabus shouldn't be too hard, but we don't want your grades to fall."

Which was basically another way of saying that I would start tomorrow, whether I liked it or not.

"And once you're settled in, maybe you'll want to think about getting a part-time job. Your parents thought it might be nice if you earned some money, you would feel more independent. Cherry does shifts at a coffee shop sometimes. I'll ask her to keep an eye out for any openings."

A coffee shop? As a _waitress_? I wouldn't be caught dead waitressing at a café. But I wasn't telling Aunt Jenna that right now. I would cross that bridge when I came to it.

We pulled up outside a small house, and I narrowed my eyes at it. It was all right, I suppose, sort of… quaint. It was a little old-fashioned, with a pretty little garden out in front, and a small porch. I'd only ever seen houses like this in movies.

Aunt Jenna was looking at me expectantly.

"It's um, it's nice. Really pretty." I mumbled, just for her sake. She seemed pleased.

"It's not very big, but I think you'll like your room. Don't worry- you can decorate it however you want, I won't say a thing."

I nodded, following her inside.

The house was just as quaint-looking from the inside, with a nice living room, and a kitchen on the ground floor. I followed Aunt Jenna up, and she led me to my room. It was simply laid out, but it was big, and I could already picture what I was going to do to it.

"Can I paint it?" I asked, and Aunt Jenna nodded eagerly.

"Of course! Why don't you pick a color, and I'm sure Cherry would love to help you out. You both can have fun doing it together."

She'd probably end up dumping the whole paint can on my head.

I shook the thought out of my head, and Aunt Jenna left me to unpack. I'd gotten most of my clothes into the closet, when the doorbell rang downstairs. Slightly curious, I went to the top of the stairs and peeked down to see who it was.

Cherry walked in, hand-in-hand with a really tall and slightly scary looking guy. Before I could react, they started coming up the stairs, and saw me standing there.

"Hello Brooke." She said coldly.

"Hello Cherry."

**A/N – Yeah, just an introductory chapter, but I promise Seth and some more drama will come in soon! If anyone can think of any good ideas for how this story should go, they're absolutely welcome! As always, honest criticism is much appreciated, and please review! It encourages me to keep writing. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

La Push was a dump. Okay, so yeah, it had all that natural greenery and shit, but there wasn't a single decent place to hang out. All you could do was go to the beach, which was a waste of time because it would be raining anyway. Or hang out in that tiny little café that Cherry worked at.

I am going to die of boredom.

I woke up early the next morning, after a restless sleep. I could hear wolves howling all night, and I got so sick of it that I stuck my head under my pillow to block out the noise. But then I couldn't breathe. In the end, I got so frustrated that I pulled open my window and screamed "SHUT UP!" as loud as I could, before slamming it shut again.

Oddly enough, things got a little quieter after that.

"Did you sleep well?" Aunt Jenna asked me at the breakfast table the next morning. I noticed everyone seemed bright and awake. As opposed to me.

"No." I replied moodily. "Was I the only one that heard those damn wolves?"

"They're not that loud." Cherry replied, sounding as though she was defending them. I looked at her oddly. "Besides, maybe they're sending important messages to each other."

Okay. So she was definitely nuts.

"You'll get used to them." Uncle Mark assured me. "But if you like, I can pick up a pair of earmuffs for you on the way back from work. We can't have you losing too much sleep because of them."

"Thanks." I muttered. "But aren't they dangerous? I mean, don't they attack people, and stuff? I think we should call the wildlife department and get them removed."

"What? That's stupid, they're harmless!" Cherry cried, sounding horrified. "The wolves aren't dangerous. Maybe they're the ones protecting us. Have you ever thought of it that way?"

"Um, no."

Before I could say anything else, though, a loud honk sounded from outside the house. Cherry quickly shoveled the last of her breakfast into her mouth, before hurrying to grab her bag. She was just about to leave, when she turned back and looked at me.

"Well? Are you coming or what?"

A little awkwardly, I grabbed my stuff too, and followed Cherry out. A slightly old-looking car was waiting in the driveway, and sitting in the front seat was the same tall guy that I'd seen Cherry with yesterday. Behind him were two more unfamiliar guys.

"Hurry up!" One of them called out. "I've got a test first period with Mrs. Fallon. She'll have my neck if I'm late, I've already missed half her classes this semester."

"And whose fault is that?" Cherry retorted, sliding into the front seat beside the guy I assumed to be her boyfriend. I just stood there, a little awkwardly, and waited for her to remember my existence. "Oh. Sorry. Guys, this is my cousin Brooke, Brooke, this is Embry, Jake, and that's Quil. Now hurry up and get in."

I somehow managed to squeeze into the backseat with Jake and Quil. They were both huge, and took up most of the space. Really? _This _was where my parents had sent me to prevent any 'bad influences'? These guys were so obviously on steroids!

I stayed silent the whole ride to school, although Embry and Quil attempted to make small talk by asking a few lame questions. My abrupt answers put them off, though, and so they just continued with their own conversations like I wasn't even there.

I went through the routine process of getting my schedule, my locker number, and a map of the school. Not like I needed it. It was tiny, and I bet there were barely 200 people in this dump. They didn't even have a tennis court! How was I supposed to stay fit without tennis?

"Um, Mr. Jones?" I asked doubtfully, walking into my homeroom. A funny-looking man in his mid-fifties was standing near the front of the class, trying to get everybody to settle down. He smiled kindly when he saw me, and took the slip of paper I offered him.

"All right everyone, settle down! It seems we have a new student today!" He turned to me, and I sighed, knowing that this was the moment I'd been dreading. "Would you like to introduce yourself?"

"I'm fine, thank you." I replied politely. He raised his eyebrows.

"Don't be shy! It's all right, we're all good friends here. Just say your name, and share something about yourself. We'd all like to get to know you."

What an infuriating old man. Why couldn't he just mind his own business? Resisting the urge to groan, I turned to face the class, and forced a fake smile.

"My name is Brooke, and I'm from New York."

Mr. Fallon wasn't happy. Clearly he'd expected some sort of confession about my innermost feelings, and he tried to coax a few more things out of me. I remained stubborn, and in the end, he just told me to go find a seat. Relieved, I sat down at an empty bench near the back.

Just as I'd grabbed a book to pass the time with, a loud bang sounded, and the door burst open. I jumped a little, and looked up to see that nobody had moved. Even Mr. Fallon seemed perfectly calm, as though the door hadn't nearly exploded.

"Good morning, Seth." He greeted calmly. A dark-haired boy was standing there, with a slightly sheepish smile on his face. He was tall, though not as tall as some of Cherry's friends. And despite being large, he was sort of friendly-looking. Like one of those bright, cheerful people who're always optimistic about everything.

People like that annoy the crap out of me.

"Morning, Mr. Fallon!" Seth replied, still smiling.

"Take a seat."

That's it? He walks in 5 minutes late and practically kicks the door down, and Mr. Fallon doesn't even say anything to him? God, people here are _crazy_!

I rolled my eyes, turning back to my book. I didn't even look up until I heard a chair scrape out from beside me, and my eyes widened. Why the hell is he sitting beside me? I ignored him.

"Hey, I've never seen you before." He muttered thoughtfully, and I was forced to conclude that it was me that he was talking to. Sighing, I lifted my head up to look at him.

He still had that big cheerful grin on his face, but when I looked at him, it disappeared instantly. His eyes went wide, and he stumbled back a few steps, almost landing on a guy that was sitting at another desk. Then, before I could say anything, he turned around, and bolted out of the room.

God save me. I'm stuck in a building full of crackpots.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**A/N – Phew! Sorry about the huge wait! I promise to update more often, because I've finally got some free time on my hands. Does anybody recognize Brianne form Cherries and Cakes? I personally thought her character was way too insignificant in that story, so she'll be playing a larger role here. Please review, suggestions, comments, criticism, everything's welcome! It encourages me to keep writing!**

By the time lunch came, I was breathing a sigh of relief. Every single teacher had asked me to introduce myself, and I was sick and tired of it. I said the words 'My name is Brooke and I'm from New York' exactly 12 times. Yes, I counted.

"Well, well. Cherry wasn't kidding about her, huh?" a voice asked, just as I stuffed my books into my locker. Whirling around, I saw two tall guys standing behind me, grinning widely. They were huge, but compared to Cherry's friends, they didn't seem particularly threatening.

"Excuse me?" I asked the guy who'd spoken, with a raised eyebrow.

"Sorry, forgot to introduce myself. I'm Brady, and this is my friend Collin. At your service," he added, holding his hand out. I reached out to shake it hesitantly, and he brought it up to his lips.

"Ew, gross! What are you doing?" I demanded, quickly yanking my hand back and wiping it on my jeans before he could touch it with his slimy mouth. I glared at them both, but they just grinned back.

"Oh, wait, let me guess. You're into the bad boy type," the guy named Collin said, with a smug smile. "I can do that babe, no worries."

How is it that I manage to run into all the creeps on my first day? I slammed my locker shut, and glared at both of them. These assholes were going to get a piece of my mind.

"Okay, you know what? If you jerkfaces don't step back _right now_, I swear to god, I will-"

"Oh for God's sake!" a voice cried, and I turned around to see a pretty girl with golden-blonde hair storm up to us, her bag swinging off her shoulder. She wore a lot of make-up, but I had to admit that she was kind of pretty. "Are you two troubling the new girl _already_? Give her a break, she just got here!"

"Oh come on, Brianne," Collin insisted, sounding like a whining toddler. "We're just trying to see if she needs any help around school. Just because neither of us were _your _type doesn't mean-"

"You two are _nobody's _type. Now scram," she ordered, and both of them walked away reluctantly, heads hanging. I watched them leave, before turning to the girl.

"Um, thanks?" I said, a little doubtfully, turning to her. She smiled widely, shaking her head.

"Don't thank me, I'm sure you could have handled it. I just wanted the opportunity to put them in their place. I can't believe nobody warnedyou about those two. They were really cute in like, the 6th grade, but puberty just hit those guys _hard._"

"You've known them since the 6th grade?"

"Oh, sure, it's a small place. Everybody knows each other. That's how they figured out you were new, and they thought you'd fall for their tricks. Anybody who's been here for a decent amount of time knows to keep away from Collin and Brady."

"Hmm. At least I learned _something_ new today," I muttered, before holding my hand out. "Sorry, I'm Brooke. What did you say your name was?"

"Brianne. But my friends call me Ria, so you should too," she assured me. 'So, um, why did you move to this dump?"

I smiled, a little relieved that she considered La Push a dump too. At she wasn't like Cherry. One negative word about her precious little reservation and she would spontaneously combust.

"I'm from New York. My parents sent me here to live with my aunt, uncle and cousin. Her name's Cherry- maybe you know her? She goes here."

"Oh, Cherry! The one who works at the café and hangs around with those guys? Yeah, she's in my history class. She's um, she's nice."

"Don't strain yourself; we hate each other."

Brianne laughed, and stepped forward to lock her elbow with mine, jokingly.

"I think we're going to be good friends."

I had lunch with Brianne, and another girl named Rachel. They were both cool, and I was a little relieved that I wouldn't have to sit on my own. It wasn't like I could go up to Cherry's table and sit there with her. That would just be weird.

"So, what do you think of the guys here? Anyone catch your eye?" Rachel asked me, with a smile. Unlike me and Brianne she was Native American, but she told me that she'd never really gotten along with most of the local students at this school. She seemed nice enough, though. "I mean, I'm pretty sure there's nobody that can compare to the guys in _New York_, but… well, sometimes we just have to compromise."

"Oh, _please_," Brianne insisted, with a roll of her eyes. "There are _plenty_ of good-looking guys here. Just check out that table. It is packed with smoking hot guys."

I turned, and noticed that the table she was nodding towards was the very table I hadn't wanted to sit at. Admitted, there were at least 6 or 7 hot guys there, along with Cherry and another unfamiliar girl. But I just shrugged.

"They're kind of creepy," I admitted.

"Oh come on, they're harmless. They just don't talk to outsiders very much. Not for long, though, I've got my eye on one of them. Sources tell me he's _very _much single."

"Which one?"

"Eh… third from the right. Sitting next to Cherry. His name's Embry. Is he good-looking, or what?"

I paused, mid-chew. Wasn't that the guy who'd driven me to school this morning? I'd seen him yesterday too, with Cherry, and I'd assumed that they were together. Then again, I didn't exactly know him, so I might be wrong. It wasn't like Cherry had ever said anything anyway.

"Aren't they going out?"

"What, him and Cherry?" Brianne asked. "No way. I ran into her at the café the other day, and she assured me that he was single. They're just friends, he's totally available."

"Well, that's fine, but how are you going to talk to him? Those guys don't really interact with anybody outside of their circle. It won't be easy," Rachel insisted.

"Oh, don't worry about that. I have a plan."

By the time classes were over, Brianne and Rachel had given me a complete update on practically everyone at the school. They told me who to make friends with, who to stay away from, and which teachers you had to tread carefully around. I was actually pretty grateful- even though I wasn't really planning on using much of their information, it was nice to at least know I wouldn't do anything stupid.

"Okay, so we'll see you tomorrow, Brooke!" Rachel insisted, as she waved goodbye. "We're planning on going shopping in Port Angeles this weekend- you should totally come with us!"

"Yeah, sure," I replied, as they both walked off. I was left standing alone outside the school, and I wondered how I was going to get home. I didn't want to ask Cherry for a ride again, but…

Deciding that it was only temporary, until I found my own means of transport, I walked to the parking lot, where I'd gotten out of the car this morning. I glanced around, wondering where the crappy-looking vehicle was, and it took a few minutes for me to find my answer.

It was gone.

Cherry was nowhere to be found, and I couldn't see any of the guys that I'd met this morning either. I felt a sudden burst of irritation. What the hell was wrong with her? I mean, granted, we didn't like each other very much, but she couldn't just leave me stranded at school on my first day! How the hell was I supposed to get home? Rachel and Brianne were gone, and I realized that I hadn't taken either of their numbers. Who was I supposed to call now?

I pulled out my cell phone, biting my lip. No way was I calling Cherry. I wouldn't give her the satisfaction; not after she'd ditched me. I thought about calling Aunt Jenna, but I didn't want to trouble her unless it was absolutely necessary.

"Hi! There you are!" somebody called, and I turned to see a guy headed towards me. I recognized him as Mr. Smiley from homeroom. He jogged over, and was panting when he reached me, resembling a dog. Not a bad dog, just… kind of like a cute puppy.

"Um… Seth, right?"

"Yeah! I can't believe you're still here! Cherry waited for you, but then she figured you got a ride with somebody else, so she and the guys just left! I didn't know that you were still here, or else I would have told her, I can't believe you got left behind!"

He was talking really fast, shifting from one foot to the other nervously. I just watched him with an eyebrow raised, waiting for him to stop. He smiled widely once he was done, still panting. I let him catch his breath for a moment.

"O-kay, then. I guess I'll just figure out something else… do you know where I can catch a bus or something around here?"

"Oh, it's not that far!" he insisted, smiling. "I can walk you!"

Whoa, bad idea. I didn't want to walk home with a complete stranger, and definitely not with Mr. Smiley. He was giving me these really big puppy-dog eyes, though, and I realized I would have to give in. I didn't even know the way home, and if I turned him down, I'd have to call Aunt Jenna. And Cherry seemed to know him, so maybe he wasn't a _complete_ stranger.

"Okay, fine, but-'

"Awesome!" he cried, with a big grin. He started walking, and I had to jog a few steps to keep up with him. I swear, this guy was a little too enthusiastic.

"Wait, you know the way, right?" I asked, still taking extra-fast steps to keep up. "Because I really don't remember how to get there, and- gosh! Can you _please_ walk a bit slower?"

"Crap, I'm so sorry!" Seth cried, looking apologetic. He slowed down instantly, and I had to balance myself to keep from crashing into him. "And yeah, I know where Cherry lives. Don't worry about it."

I nodded, and continued walking, before I realized that he was going _really_ slow. I mean, at snail's pace. At this rate, it would be dark by the time I got home.

"Um, a _little_ faster?"

"Oh! Yeah, sure, sorry!"

I rolled my eyes a little, and we continued walking in silence. I could feel Seth staring at me, though, and it was slightly awkward. Clearing my throat, I decided to make small talk.

"So, um, how long have you lived here?"

"Oh, my whole life! I've never lived anywhere else, La Push means a lot to me. I mean, yeah, sure, it's a small place, but it's home, you know? My house is just two streets down from yours, it's actually really close. You should come over sometime, my mom is friends with your aunt. Then again, everyone's friends with each other here. It's a really small community. Have you met anyone from the pack?"

Oh my god, he talked so fast, it was giving me a headache. I guess it wasn't really his fault, he was just over-enthusiastic and a little too eager. He was still smiling at me expectantly, and I forcefully smiled back. Was he like this with everyone? I _really _hoped he didn't have a crush on me or something, but it kind of seemed like it.

"Um, the pack?" I asked, trying to keep track of what he was saying. What the hell was a pack?

"Oh, I, um, meant the guys. The _gang._ Did I say pack? Silly me." He laughed nervously, and I eyed him. Seriously? I couldn't even be bothered to ask. "Never mind. So why did you move here?"

"I was caught doing drugs," I lied, deciding to mess with his head. My statement had the desired effect, because his mouth dropped open and he gaped at me.

"Y-you were what?"

"Doing drugs. I got totally stoned at a party with my friends, and my parents caught me. I was supposed to be sent to like, rehab, but I guess they figured sending me here would be cheaper."

"You don't _look_ like you do drugs…"

"What do people who do drugs looks like?"

He didn't reply, and I just smiled to myself. Well, there goes any crush he might have had. Honestly, it was better this way. Maybe he'd go tell all his little _gang_ members, and they'd stay away from me.

"Uh, here's, uh, your house…" he said, as we turned the corner. I recognized the quaint little place, and turned back to see his uncomfortable expression. I expected him to bolt immediately, but he actually walked me all the way till the front porch.

"Okay! Bye Seth!" I chirped happily, turning to open the door. Before I could touch it, though, his hot hand grabbed my arm, almost burning me. I hissed and pulled it away, giving him a weird look. "What?"

"I just…" he paused, thinking for a second. He was still doing that whole shifting from one foot to the other thing, and I waited patiently for him to speak. Maybe he would tell me that he didn't want to be friends with someone who did drugs. _Oh please say that, please!_ "You should know that nobody's going to judge you here, especially not me. You seem really awesome, and um, whatever's in your past really doesn't matter. I'd like to get to know you."

_Damn. _

"Bye Seth. I'll see you around," I muttered, yanking open the door, and walking into the house without looking back.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"So, how was your first day?" Uncle Mark asked me, as we all sat around the dinner table that night. I was actually surprised that Aunt Jenna insisted on everybody sitting down together and having a family dinner. We'd never really done that back in New York.

"Fine. I made some friends." I told him, with a light shrug. I didn't want to sound too excited, so I just kept quiet after that. Aunt Jenna nodded, and smiled.

"Cherry tells me that Seth Clearwater walked you home," She said, smiling at her daughter. I shot Cherry a meaningful glare. " I'm glad you're making friends with that boy. I know his mother very well, they're very kind. Such a tragedy what happened to his father…"

"What happened?" I asked.

"Mr. Clearwater passed away recently."

"Oh."

The rest of dinner passed in meaningless small talk, and I tuned myself out. Seth's father being dead was news to me. I was surprised how somebody could be so happy and cheerful on the outside when they'd recently lost someone so close to them. I wouldn't have been able to do it. I suddenly felt a little guilty for being rude to him earlier.

There was a loud ding that I recognized as the oven. Cherry shot out of her seat, and ran into the kitchen, coming back a few minutes later with a large tray full of cookies. They smelled amazing, and I watched as she put them into Tupperware boxes, with a sigh. My mind was mentally counting the calories, but I stopped myself. With all the walking that I was going to be doing to and from school, I could definitely afford to have cookies now and then.

"There's plenty left," Cherry said, after we'd all had our share. "They won't be fresh tomorrow, so can I take them down to Billy's? Jake and the guys are probably there right now, I promised to give them some."

"All right, don't be long," Aunt Jenna said, as she started to clear the table. "And take Brooke."

Both Cherry and I made a face at the same time, but neither of us spoke up. She headed out of the front door after grabbing her jacket and I followed her silently, a little annoyed. I didn't want to spend any more time with Cherry's friends.

It was slightly awkward as we walked down to wherever Cherry wanted to go. I definitely wasn't about to make an attempt at conversation. After a few seconds, she sighed and turned to look at me.

"So, um, do you like Seth?"

"Huh?"

"Seth. Do you like him?"

"No."

There was an awkward pause, as we continued walking. How far was this place? It was chilly outside, and I wrapped my jacket around myself tighter.

"I think he likes you. Seth, I mean," Cherry said finally, giving me a searching look.

"So? What am I supposed to do?"

"Maybe you shouldn't be so mean to him," she snapped suddenly, sounding annoyed. "I heard you two talking on the front porch. He wanted to get to know you, and you were just rude."

"I didn't sign up for this. It's none of your business how rude I might or might not be with other people," I retorted. "Why do you care anyway?"

"Because he's my _friend_. Seth's really sensitive, he takes it personally when someone's rude to him. He's probably beating himself up wondering what he did wrong, because he's too nice to realize that you're a complete bitch."

I stopped walking.

"_Excuse me?_"

"You heard me."

"Well, let's clear something up_, Cherry_. I never asked to come to this shithole, and I'm trying to cope with it the best I can. If you want to try and make my life miserable, fine, I don't expect anything less from you. You always _have _had a point of holding unnecessary grudges. But I'm not going to act nice or sweet to you or your stupid little friends. Maybe once we come to an understanding, we can just both stay out of each other's way, and continue with our lives."

She stared at me for a few seconds, and I wondered if she was going to throw the Tupperware box of cookies at me. But she didn't. She just sighed, and continued walking.

"Let's go."

Billy Black lived a few streets down from Cherry's place. Then again, the rez was so small that _everybody_ lived within a few streets of each other. There were lights inside the house, and plenty of loud voices. Cherry knocked on the door, and it was opened by Jacob.

"Cherry! Damn, are those cookies?"

"Yep. We had plenty left over from dinner. Are you guys still hungry?" she asked.

"Aren't we always? Come on in," he replied, opening the door wider. Cherry stepped through, and Jacob smiled politely at me as I followed her inside, unsure if I was welcome or not.

There were a _lot _of people inside. Most were guys, half of them shirtless. My mouth nearly dropped open at the sight. What the hell was going _on_ here? Why were they half naked? I nearly froze at the doorstep, but Jacob pushed me inside.

"Come on, are you just going to stand at the door?"

I gulped slightly, and quickly went after Cherry. She introduced me to Billy Black, who was a nice man in a wheelchair. He seemed sweet, but I was way too distracted by the number of shirtless guys. It was really creeping me out.

"Are you okay, Brooke?" Billy asked me kindly, and I nodded.

"Yeah, I, um, wasn't expecting so many people. Is it always like this?"

"Sure, on the nights that they come here. Usually, everyone's at Sam and Emily's house, though." When he saw my expression, he smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it."

He wheeled himself away, and I just stood awkwardly in a corner of the room. Cherry had gone off to talk to Embry and Quil, and I wasn't sure what to do. I contemplated leaving, but before I could, someone tapped me on the shoulder.

"Well, if it isn't Brooke. Finally decided that you want me?"

_Collin._

"In your dreams, Collin," I told him, with a roll of my eyes. "I didn't even know you were going to be here, or I probably wouldn't have come."

"I get it. You're playing hard to get."

"Seriously? Think whatever you want, I don't give a damn."

"Is it because I'm younger than you? Because that's really not an issue."

"It is to me," I snapped, irritably. "Do you flirt like this with _all_ girls?"

"Not the ones with boyfriends bigger than me. But yeah, all the other girls, sure," he replied, with a grin that made me want to smack him. I settled with rolling my eyes.

"So I have to get a boyfriend bigger than you if I want you to leave me alone?"

Before Collin could respond, Brady sidled up to us both, and grinned, putting an arm around my shoulders. I instantly smacked it away, annoyed.

"I'm willing to fill that role," Brady said confidently, with a grin. "What do you say, babe?"

"I say go screw yourself."

I quickly pushed past both of them, heading for the door. Cherry was still talking to her friends, and it didn't look like she was going to be leaving anytime soon. Irritated, I decided to go home by myself. I was just turning, when a large body smacked into me.

"Brooke! Crap, I'm so sorry!"

I groaned internally, wondering how much worse this day could get. Forcing a smile up at Seth, I shook my head.

"Don't worry, I'm fine. Catch you later."

"Wait, where are you going?"

"Home."

"Can I walk you?"

I shook my head at him, and his face fell. I swear to god, if he'd been a puppy, his ears and tail would have drooped. I felt bad for him, but then I stopped myself. I needed to quit visualizing him as a puppy. It really wasn't getting me anywhere.

"Oh, okay. Bye, then."

"Bye. Seth."

**A/N – Okay, yeah, this one isn't too interesting, but I wanted to build up the issues between Cherry and Brooke, because they play a major role. I'm still totally open to ideas! I want to know if I'm really overdoing the whole Seth being sweet and innocent thing. Does he seem too OOC? Please review and tell me what you think!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 **

**(Cherry's POV)**

I sighed to myself, rubbing my sore shoulders. We'd had a particularly grueling PE class, and it didn't really help that I usually teamed up with Quil and Embry. I had to work hard if I didn't want to look like a helpless little girl in front of them, and now I was exhausted.

I trudged down the street, heading to the garage where the guys were. I'd dropped my backpack at home after school, and now I was headed down to see if I could coax any of them away from the cars. Home wasn't pleasant; Brooke was usually there, and even though we stayed out of each other's way, I still kept as much distance as possible.

"Oh, hello Cherry!" A voice called pleasantly, and I glanced up to see a familiar blonde girl. Brianne was smiling at me as she walked past, and I saw that she'd just come out of the garage.

"Um, hi Brianne…"

She nodded at me, but didn't stop to make conversation. I noticed that she looked sort of pleased as she headed down the street the way I'd come. I shot her a wary glance, before shoving the garage door open and walking in. Jacob and Embry were both inside, and I could hear Jake talking.

"-second time she's been here this week, and there's _nothing _wrong with her car! Dude, we really need to…" he trailed off when he saw me, and offered me a tight smile. "Hey Cherry. Didn't see you there."

"Hey," I replied, plopping myself down on a stray tire beside Embry. "What was Brianne doing here?"

"Her tire's been punctured, she just needed it changed," Embry replied, with a shrug, before sliding his arm around my shoulders. "Where have you been all afternoon?"

"Are you kidding? I couldn't even move after that PE class," I groaned, rubbing my sore shoulders again. "You and Quil whacking me with the ball didn't really help, I can barely feel my back."

"Sorry."

"Ha ha, no apologies. You're making it up to me, so come on. Let's get out of this stinky little garage and actually _do _something!" I insisting, tugging on his arm. He shook his head, though, looking apologetic.

"We can't leave until Seth gets here. He's supposed to do the evening shift with Jared," Jake explained, as he wiped his greasy hands off on an even greasier-looking cloth. I made a face at it, but he didn't notice. "I don't know what's taking them so long. Seth's usually on time."

"Come on!" I whined, upset. I didn't want to spend all evening at home alone. I turned to Embry, hoping that my puppy-dog face might work on him. I grabbed his hand, and stuck my lower lip out. "Please, please, please? I'm so _bored_!"

"I can't… I'm on patrol after this," he admitted, though it obviously pained him to say it. Realizing that I was just making him feel bad, I sighed and dropped it. "I'm sorry, Cher."

"it's okay, don't worry," I muttered, getting up to leave. Before I could go anywhere though, a huge figure burst into the room and almost landed on me. "Whoa! Seth, watch it!"

"Sorry!" Seth cried, quickly straightening himself up. "Are you okay? I'm so sorry I'm late, I got caught up doing some other stuff, and I didn't even realize the time! Then I checked my watch, and I was like, shit, I have to go to the garage!"

"Relax, you're earlier than Jared," Embry assured him, as Seth dropped his backpack down in a corner of the room. I looked at it, surprised.

"Why do you have your backpack?"

"Oh, I uh, I didn't go home after school."

"So where _did _you go?"

Seth blushed, and I'm sure that if his skin hadn't been tanned, it would have turned a bright pink color. Despite that though, it was completely obvious from his expression that he was really embarrassed. When Jake, Embry and I stared at him expectantly, he sighed.

"Okay, fine, I walked Brooke home."

"Again?" I asked, surprised. I didn't think that Brooke would actually let Seth walk with her a _second _time. The only reason she let him do it yesterday was because I'd sort of ditched her. Maybe she liked him more than she let on. "She actually let you walk her?"

"Um… well, not exactly. I asked her, and she said no. But I just sort of walked with her anyway. Not walked _with,_ but more like… walked behind, I guess," he admitted.

"You followed her home without her knowing," clarified Embry.

"When you put it that way…"

I sighed, feeling a sudden rush of pity for Seth. It was obvious that he was crazy about Brooke, something that I didn't think she deserved. Seth was always so nice and lively and caring, and Brooke was just bitchy and moody. They were polar opposites. He deserved somebody more like him.

"Dude, you really shouldn't do stuff like that," Jake told Seth, with a sigh. "I mean, she's going to take it the wrong way if she finds out. Imagine knowing somebody for a day and then finding out that they followed you home."

"I know, I just… wanted to make sure she got home okay," he muttered, his face falling. I felt so bad for him, I wanted to go over and give him a big hug. "She's just completely out of my league. I don't know how I imprinted on a girl I would never have a chance with."

"Don't be stupid, she's _not _out of your league," I told him firmly. "You're way more than Brooke deserves, she just doesn't realize it. Don't beat yourself up over it."

"Yeah man, maybe she just needs some time. You know, let her get settled in, everything must be really new to her right now," Jake assured him. "She's your imprint, she _has _to come around eventually. It takes time, but we all get our happy endings. Just look at those two!"

He gestured towards Embry and me, and I rolled my eyes at him in response. Seth grinned at us, though, and nodded.

"Yeah, you're right. It took those two _forever_ to realize they liked each other."

"Um, hello, we're still here!" I retorted, as Embry smiled at me. "But I should probably just get home, since clearly my boyfriend and best friends don't have time to fit me into their schedule."

I grabbed my stuff, and kissed Embry on the cheek before leaving the garage, and heading home. I couldn't help but smile, though.

Jake was right. Embry and I _had_ gotten our happy ending.

X – x –

"Have a nice day?" Mom asked, as she walked into the kitchen. I was sitting on the counter, nibbling on some chocolate while I waited for the cake to finish in the oven. "I'm surprised you're not out with your friends today."

"They're busy," I replied, with a shrug. I glanced around, and noticed that Brooke was nowhere around. "Where's my beloved cousin? I thought she went shopping with you."

"She stopped by the hardware store to buy some paint for her room," Mom explained, while narrowing her eyes at me. "She says that she can paint it on her own, but I'm sure that's not possible. You'll help her out, won't you? It'll give you two some bonding time."

"Mom, come on!" I groaned, annoyed. "I don't want to help her paint her room! Trust me, you don't want us alone in the same room. It'll be a disaster."

"Well, your father's at work, and I don't have the time. She can't do it alone, she doesn't know the first thing about painting. Can't you convince your any of your friends to give her a hand? I'm sure that _everyone _doesn't hate her as much as you."

"I'll call Seth," I decided, after a shrug. "He'll be more than happy to help Brooke."

"That's so sweet," Mom said, with a smile. "Does he have a crush on her?"

"Something like that."

x—x- -y

Brooke came back after a few minutes, carrying two different cans of paint, and a couple of paint rollers. She didn't seem particularly happy at the idea of Seth coming over to help her with the paint, but she knew better than to argue with my Mom. In the end she was forced to agree, and I called Seth up myself to tell him the good news. He promised to come over the next morning.

"'Night, mom. Night Dad," I muttered, as I trudged upstairs after dinner. I was exhausted, and after a particularly long marathon of the Big Bang Theory, I was ready to go to bed. Brooke had disappeared into her room over an hour ago.

I changed into my pajamas, before curling up under the covers. Just as I was about to fall asleep, though, there was a loud tapping on my window. Sighing, I pushed the covers off, and got up to see Embry's face grinning at me.

"How long have you been there?" I demanded, once I'd opened the window, and he slid in. I shut the window quickly to keep the cold air out, and turned to face him.

"Hey, I figured you'd be happy to see me!" he insisted, defensively. "isn't this what all the guys do in the movies? You're supposed to gasp and act pleasantly surprised."

"And _you're _supposed to bring flowers. I'm disappointed."

"Really? That's the reaction I get for running straight here after patrol to see my girlfriend?" He asked, pouting slightly. "I didn't have time to pick up flowers, because I couldn't wait to see you. Satisfied?"

"Not yet. You could have at least taken a shower, you smell like dirt."

He smirked at me, looking almost evil. I took a wary step back, but before I could get anywhere, he'd wrapped his huge arms around me, and pulled me close while I struggled against him, laughing.

"Well, that's just too bad," He replied, tickling my sides, while I squirmed. "Because now you smell like dirt too."

Before I could retort, he leaned in and kissed me softly, still holding me tight. It was a good thing that he had a good grip on me, because my knees wobbled slightly, and I had to grip onto his shoulders to keep myself standing. He pulled away after a few seconds, and planted little butterfly kisses on my jaw line. I blushed, pushing him away when it got too ticklish.

"Are you staying here tonight?" I asked hopefully.

"Do you want me to?"

"Well, it _is_ kind of chilly. I guess I need my personal heater."

I went back to my bed and slid under the covers, pulling them up to my chin. Embry started to get in beside me, but I quickly stopped him.

"Whoa, hold it right there. You are _not _getting into my bed covered In mud. Take a shower first."

"Do I _have _to?"

"Yes!"

He groaned, but slid back out and went into my bathroom anyway. I stuck my tongue out at him playfully, before laying back in bed and listening to the faint sound of the shower running. I was just trying to control all inappropriate thoughts about Embry being naked in my bathroom, when there was a knock on my bedroom door.

"What?" I asked, when I opened the door slightly, and saw Brooke standing there in her pajamas, her brown hair slightly damp and curling.

"Can I borrow your hairdryer?" she asked, reluctantly. It was obvious that she didn't want to ask for my help, but she didn't have any other choice. "I plugged mine in, and there was a spark. Now it won't work."

I shrugged, opening the door a little wider, before going back into my room. I pulled open one of the drawers at my dressing table, before realizing that Brooke had taken a few steps into my room, and was looking confused.

"What is it?" I asked, as I pulled the hairdryer out and yanked the long coil of wire along with it.

"I hear water. Did you leave the tap running in your bathroom?" she asked, reaching out to take the hairdryer from me. I froze slightly, but nodded.

"Yeah, I was, um, I'm just running a bath."

"Okay…" she muttered, turning to leave. Just as she pushed the door open, though, the sound of running water turned off, and Brooke stopped walking. There was a pause of silence, before Embry's voice called out from inside the bathroom.

"Uh, Cherry? Do you have any towels in here?"

_Shit. _

**A/N – Well, here's my rather pathetic attempt at a cliffhanger. Obviously Brooke's going to get the wrong impression, but what will happen next? Please review, I want to know if anyone's reading! **


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**Brooke's POV**

"Uh, Cherry? Do you have any towels in here?" an obviously male voice called from the bathroom. My mouth nearly dropped open, and I whirled around to face Cherry. She looked horrified, but before she could say anything, the voice called out again. "Cherry? You there?"

"Um, yeah," she muttered, turning to the bathroom door. "Top cabinet, to the left."

I just stared at her, while she walked past me, and quickly shut the door to her room. I just folded my arms across my chest, and raised my eyebrows. I mean, this was the last thing I'd expected from Cherry. She'd always been one of those sporty tom-boy types.

"It's not what it looks like," she told me firmly, and I rolled my eyes.

"Oh, please, it's _exactly_ what it looks like," I snapped in response. She wasn't talking her way out of this one. "So, which guy is it?"

"Embry, and he's my boyfriend. So don't look at me like I'm some kind of a slut!"

"Hey, I didn't say a word!" I replied defensively. "At least, not yet. Is it safe to assume that your parents have no idea he comes here at night?"

"You can't tell them."

"Can't is a strong word. What's stopping me?" I retorted, with a smile. Oh, I was _so _getting revenge for her calling me a bitch last night.

There was the click of a door, and a tall muscular figure stepped out proving that it was, indeed, Embry who had been in her shower. Luckily, he was fully clothed, or I might have been scarred for life. He froze in his tracks when he saw me, eyes widening.

"Uh…" He glanced from Cherry to me, and then back at Cherry again. "Shit. Is this a problem?"

"Yep," muttered Cherry, glancing at him. "I can't believe you didn't hear her!"

"Sorry, I was tired. My senses aren't exactly strong right now," he replied, sounding upset. I stared between them. Senses? What senses?

"Okay, fine," Cherry said finally, turning to face me. She folded her arms across her chest, mimicking my position. "I could rant here all day and tell you that you have the wrong impression, but I know that you won't believe me. So just tell me what you want."

"Huh?"

"What do you want? To keep you quiet about this, I just want to know what it'll take."

I paused for a second, thinking about what she said. I'd never really had any intention of telling her parents, but obviously she didn't trust me. I had to admit that it kind of hurt. I mean, we hated each other, sure, but I didn't realize that she thought I would actually betray her to her parents.

"Nothing," I told her.

"What?"

"Nothing. I won't tell your parents. I'd rather just get this image out of my head as soon as possible," I replied, turning around, and heading towards the door. "But you should know that I won't cover for you. If you get caught again, you're on your own."

And with that, I walked out of her room with the hairdryer.

X – xx - - -

I woke up in a bad mood the next morning. This was the third night in a row that the wolves had kept me up by howling all night, and I was sick and tired of it. I ended up sleeping in much later than I intended to, and when I went downstairs, I was still bleary-eyed and half-asleep.

"Good morning!" Aunt Jenna greeted, as I walked into the kitchen. "Goodness, you look terrible. Didn't you get any sleep last night?"

"Not much," I muttered irritably, yanking open the fridge and pulling out the orange juice.

"Those wolves still keeping you up at night then?" she asked.

"What wolves?"

I jumped slightly, my eyes widening as I recognized Seth's voice. What the hell was he doing here? I glanced up at the dining table, and realized that I hadn't even noticed his huge form sitting there with Cherry, both of them sipping coffee. Seth seemed fresh and awake, and I was suddenly feeling a little self-conscious of my baby blue pajamas and messy bed-hair. He was giving me a curious look, but Aunt Jenna replied for me.

"The poor thing hasn't been getting much sleep because of the wolves howling at night. I suppose we're all used to it, but her bedroom window faces the forest, so it's worse for her."

"Whoa, wait," I interrupted, glancing from Seth to Aunt Jenna. "What the hell is he doing here this early in the morning? Don't I even get some peace on the _weekends?_"

"Brooke, be nice," Aunt Jenna said sternly, handing me a plate of pancakes. I took them eagerly, and sat down at the table. "It's past 10 o'clock. Seth came to help you with painting your room, but you were still asleep. I didn't want to wake you."

"Thanks," I muttered, while Seth watched my pancakes hungrily. Feeling a little uncomfortable, I pushed the plate towards him slightly. "Did you want some?"

"You don't mind?"

"No, go ahead."

He dug into the pancakes, and I just watched silently, somewhat disgusted. He even _ate_ like a dog. That, or he hadn't seen food in over a week. Losing interest in my breakfast, I just sipped my orange juice and glanced at the newspaper on the table. After a few seconds of silence, I realized that Cherry was staring at me.

"What?" I asked her.

"I just… wanted to say thanks," she replied in a low voice, so that Aunt Jenna wouldn't overhear. Seth, however, was looking at us both curiously. "For last night. You didn't freak out on me, and that was really decent of you."

"Um, it's okay. I've done worse stuff behind my parents back. And you probably would have done the same thing if you'd been in my place." I replied, with a shrug. "I really hope that you're not planning on making it a regular thing, though."

"What? No! That was the first time anything like that ever happened."

I just nodded, deciding to drop it at that. I really didn't want details about how often Cherry's boyfriend visited her room at nights. I turned back to the newspaper, flipping it over absent-mindedly, as I finished my orange juice. I glanced up, and saw that Seth was still scarfing down my pancakes.

"Um, I'm going to go change," I told him. "And then we can get started on the paint."

He nodded eagerly, and I left, going upstairs to glance in the mirror. I cringed when I saw how my hair was sticking up. I can't believe Seth saw me like that. Quickly changing into an old pair of jeans, I found an old white t-shirt that I didn't mind getting dirty. Tying my hair up, I went to the top of the stairs to call for Seth.

"Hey Seth! Are you done?"

"Coming!"

He jogged up the stairs, and I could practically feel the landing shake under his weight. Slightly disturbed, I showed a cheerful Seth into my room.

"Nice room," he said politely, while I rolled my eyes. There wasn't anything _in _my room yet, besides a bed, closet and dressing table. I'd decided to unpack everything else and start decorating after the paint was dry. "Hey; you have a teddy bear!" There was a small white teddy bear lying on my pillow, and Seth picked it up, looking like a small child that had just found a new toy. He grinned widely, holding it up. 'I didn't know you were into teddy bears!"

"I'm not. That was just a gift from someone special."

"A boyfriend?" he asked, cautiously.

"A _friend,_" I replied, snatching the teddy bear away and putting in back on the pillow. "Now stop messing around. I want to finish this by lunch; are you going to help me or not?"

"Yes, ma'am!" He replied jokingly, standing up straight and lifting his hand in a salute. I had to suppress a groan.

_Kill me now…_

x- -x- x- x

Working with Seth was a complete _disaster. _He was definitely strong and eager to help, but he was also a total klutz. He kept knocking things around, and after saving a picture frame of my parents from falling down for the third time, I realized that he was going to be of very little use.

"Wait, no!" I cried, as he started sloshing paint on one of the walls. "That wall wasn't supposed to be maroon, _this _one was! That one's meant to be cream!"

"Um, sorry?"

"Sorry doesn't change anything!" I cried, furious. "Now we have to wait for that paint to dry before we put the cream paint over it, it's going to take _forever_! God, Seth, do you ever _think_ before you do something?"

His face fell, and I regretted my words immediately.

"You're right," he muttered, with a sigh. "I'm just making things worse for you. I'm sorry."

I felt guilty as soon as I saw his expression. It was pained, and he looked disappointed in himself. For a few seconds, I felt a sudden rush of emotion. It was almost as though I could feel the pain he was feeling, and seeing him so upset sent an odd pang through my chest.

"No, I-I'm sorry," I told him, with a sigh. "I shouldn't have yelled at you, I just lost my temper."

"It was my fault."

"No, it _wasn't._ It 's really sweet of you to help me out with my room when Cherry refused, and I'm being ungrateful. Don't worry about the paint, we can just make that wall maroon, and the other one cream. It doesn't make a big difference to my plans."

"Really?" he asked eagerly, piping up. I had to hold back a smile when he grinned at me widely. It was almost sort of contagious. "Awesome! I'll be more careful, I swear."

I just nodded, and he went back to painting the wall, still grinning as though I'd just made his day. Feeling slightly better, I decided that I needed to make sure he did something that he couldn't damage. That way he wouldn't ruin anything, and I wouldn't lose my temper at him.

"Uh, Seth, could you go down and get the stepladder from the garage? We're going to need it to do the top part of this wall, I can't reach." I told him. He agreed instantly, and ran down, just as Aunt Jenna walked into the room.

"Hey, how's it going?" she asked, glancing around the room. "You guys seem to be going at a decent pace. Is Seth of much help?"

"He's trying to be," I replied, with a shrug. "He actually seems _really_ eager to help. Is he always like that?"

"Um, mostly, yes. Though Cherry tells me that he might have a little crush on you."

"Yeah, she mentioned," I muttered, before turning back to the paint. Seth came in carrying the stepladder, and Aunt Jenna winked at me before she left. Feeling slightly uncomfortable, I just forced a smile and helped Seth shift the ladder towards the wall.

"Do you want to get up, or should I?" he asked, and I shrugged.

"I don't know. I guess you should do it. You're taller, so it'll be easier for you."

Seth stepped up onto the ladder with the paint roller, while I held it tightly at the base. It seemed a little wobbly, and I didn't want him falling down on the floor. I wasn't sure if the house could take that. I handed up the paint can, and Seth started painting. I just stood there, bored, gripping the ladder, until something splattered onto my face.

"Oh my god, Seth!" I squealed, letting go of the ladder to wipe myself off. "You dripped paint all over my hair! Thanks for that!"

"Sorry!" he apologized, leaning down to look at me. The ladder, however, started wobbling because I'd let it go. I hurried to grab it again, but it was too late. The paint tin, the roller and Seth, all came crashing down on me.

I suppose you might think it was romantic. Believe me. Being flattened to the ground with a 6-foot-something giant landing on you, and paint all over your hair is _not _romantic. It's painful. Very much so.

I let out a loud 'oof' as Seth crashed into me, and we both fell onto the hard stone floor. Luckily my back landed on the floor first, and Seth reflexively put a hand behind my head to cushion it from the impact with the ground. There was a loud noise as the ladder crashed to the floor a few seconds later, and I breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Are you okay?" Seth asked worriedly, removing the hand from behind my head, and trying to get off me. His hands ended up slipping on a puddle of spilled paint, and he landed on me again.

"Ow! Gosh, Seth, get off!"

I pushed him away, checking my limbs to make sure that nothing hurt. I seemed fine, other than the impact with the ground that still had my back aching. Looking at Seth, I saw that he seemed fine too. There was a rush of footsteps, and Cherry and Aunt Jenna burst into the room, looking worried.

"Is everything okay? We heard a bang, and the whole floor practically shook!" Cherry cried, her eyes wide. Apparently the sight of Seth and me sprawled out on the floor covered in paint was humorous. They started cracking up, and soon Seth was chuckling too.

"It's not funny, my back hurts like hell, " I moaned, trying to sit up. Seth quickly scrambled to his feet and helped me, as I felt the muscles in my back pull. He helped me stand up and sit on the bed, while I stretched my back.

"Are you okay? I'm so sorry! I just slipped, and I didn't know what to do, I swear!"

I shook my head at him, trying to tell him that it wasn't really his fault. When I looked up at him, though, I saw exactly what Aunt Jenna and Cherry had found so funny. He was absolutely _covered _in cream paint, and it looked hilarious. I couldn't control a giggle. A giggle then turned into a full-on laugh, and suddenly, everyone was laughing again for practically no reason.

X –x x- x- x-x x-

Despite the near-accident, by the time my room was finished, it actually looked really good. We'd painted three of the walls cream, and one of them maroon, so that it stood out. Granted, it took two showers to get all the paint out of my hair, but it was worth it. Even though it was a little hard to admit, I'd had fun.

"Hm. Maybe we're not so bad after all," Seth said, as he admired our work for one last time. "It turned out pretty good in the end, didn't it?"

"Yeah, I love it," I replied, smiling at him. "Thanks for helping me out, Seth. You really didn't have to, but it was sweet of you all the same." 

He grinned back at me, looking a little embarrassed at the compliment. I was actually a little surprised that I'd said it myself, but I realized it was true. He'd actually spent an entire day of his time helping me paint _my_ room, and he'd even put up with me when I lost my temper. It was actually nice of him.

"Nah, I didn't do much."

"You did plenty. I owe you."

I wanted to take back the words almost as soon as they came out of my mouth. His eyes widened, and his smile became even bigger as he looked at me eagerly.

"Really? Do you mean it? You owe me?"

"Uh, I didn't intend for you to take it so _literally,_ but…"

"There's a bonfire tonight at Sam and Emily's place. Will you come? Please? Cherry will probably be there, and I want to introduce you to some people. They're all really cool, I promise. Please?"

"I'm not sure that's a good idea…"

"Well… will you think about it?" he asked hopefully. "it doesn't start until around 9, so if you tell me a few minutes before, I can come and pick you up. Or you can just come with Cherry. It'll be fun, please!"

"Okay, fine, I'll think about it," I muttered, and he grinned at me.

"Thanks, Brooke!"

**A/N – Suggestions, please! I have a vague idea of where this is going, but I want to know what you guys would like to happen. Please review! I figure I need SOME sort of encouragement for updating 4 chapters in the last few days…. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

**(Cherry's POV)**

Eleven times. That's how many times Seth called Brooke up that evening to ask if she'd decided to come to the bonfire. Honestly, he was sweet, but I don't blame her for getting pissed off. I probably would have reacted the same way. Okay, maybe not _exactly_ the same way. The eleventh time, she told him to go screw himself and then hung up on him. He had yet to call again.

"He's not going to stop until you say yes," I told her casually, as she glared at her phone. Clearly he'd taken to messaging her now.

"So? Let him. He has to get tired of it _sometime," _she replied, tossing her phone onto the other couch. It buzzed again, but she ignored it.

"You'd be surprised."

"I'm not going to say yes. I won't give him the satisfaction of thinking he got to me," she replied simply, before narrowing her eyes at me. "Why do you care? You'll be happier if I don't come."

"It really doesn't make a difference to me," I replied honestly. Now that Seth had imprinted on her, it was his responsibility to introduce her to the pack and all that. Sure, I still didn't enjoy her company, but after last night, I'd decided to give her a chance. Maybe we could grow to tolerate each other. _Maybe_.

"Whatever. You can all go freeze your asses off outside in the middle of winter, huddling around a pathetic little fire while I have a nice hot dinner and watch the latest episode of Pretty Little Liars."

I just rolled my eyes, as I grabbed my jacket. Brooke wouldn't understand. She was too used to the comforts of New York, the indoor heating and spa treatments. The outdoors was a completely different kind of pleasure, one that she would probably never enjoy. I guess I couldn't blame her, though. We'd both grown up differently.

"Well, have a nice night, then," I replied, lacing up my sneakers. "Though Seth's going to be pretty upset. Are you sure you want to disappoint him?"

She didn't respond, merely continued to stare at the TV screen. I just shrugged and walked out of the house. It _was_ kind of chilly outside, but I just jogged down to Sam and Emily's house, where I saw that Seth was eagerly waiting at the front door. When he saw me alone, though, his smile faded.

"She didn't come?"

"Sorry, Seth. She was a little annoyed that you called her so many times," I told him gently.

"But I just wanted to convince her to come!"

He turned back around and trudged into the house disappointedly, as I followed him. Honestly, I felt bad, but there was nothing I could do. Seth would have to learn for himself that if Brooke was told to do something, she usually did exactly the opposite. I walked in, and ran straight into Collin and Brady.

"Hey Cherry! Have a nice night?" Brady asked me, eyebrows raised suggestively. I stared at him, not understanding.

"Huh?"

"We found out what happened yesterday… _in your room_," he laughed, and he and Collin walked away, snickering. I flushed a deep red, horrified that the entire pack apparently knew about last night's misunderstanding. Locating Embry, I walked across the room and tapped his shoulder.

"Hey Cherry!" he greeted, leaning down to press his lips to my cheek. "Why are your cheeks red?"

"Do me a favor."

"What?"

"Kill Collin and Brady."

He gave me a slightly apologetic look, putting an arm around my shoulder.

"I'm sorry about that. Collin figured out I was hiding something, and he dug around until he found out what it was. I didn't mean to tell them anything, I swear."

"It's okay," I muttered. Because honestly, it wasn't his fault or anything, Collin and Brady were just total asses. I wondered how two kids who had been so cute in the 5th grade could have turned out like that. "I'd rather just forget about it. Do you know where I can find Emily?"

"Where else? In the kitchen."

"I'm going to go give her a hand. Can you talk to Seth? He's moping around a little because Brooke refused to come tonight."

"I'll try."

I stood on my tiptoes, kissing him quickly before pulling away. Collin and Brady were still watching us from the living room, and I really didn't want to give those two any ideas. After waving to Kim and Jared, I headed to the kitchen.

"There you are!" Emily greeted me with a smile, as I slipped on an apron to help her out. "I was wondering when you'd turn up. I really wanted to meet your cousin. Seth wouldn't stop talking about her all evening."

"More like Seth wouldn't stop talking _to_ her all evening. She got a little sick of him."

"Oh, well. It doesn't really matter, they'll get together eventually," Emily replied, with a shrug. "Do you know this is my fifth batch of cakes? Sam and Paul ate the first two before the bonfire even started. They were exhausted, patrolling out all night,"

I looked at her, concerned. Even Embry had seemed really tired yesterday.

"Is everything okay?" I asked. "Why are they patrolling so much?"

"Well, Sam was pretty pissed off after you ran into that vampire; it wasn't supposed to get anywhere near La Push, but it did. And the Cullens said that they think a new coven might be headed our way. Not a lone vampire, like the one you saw, but at least 5 or 6."

I stared at her, shocked. It was bad enough that the whole drama with Bella and her kid had barely died down, but now a new coven?

"Who are they?" I asked. "Do the Cullens know them?"

"That's the thing- they're not sure. We can't tell whether they're dangerous or not. Apparently, Bella thinks that she might have spotted one in Port Angeles."

"That's close by," I muttered, as I shoved the next cake tin into the oven. Emily twirled the temperature dial, and nodded at me.

"It is. Just be careful. I'd stay away from Port Angeles if I were you."

I just nodded, suppressing a shudder. I definitely didn't want to meet another vampire.

**A/N – Okay, just a filler chapter to get things going. I can promise you loads of drama in the next chapter or two! I just wanted to say though, that I totally have something against stalkerish vampires. And I think Stephanie Meyer has given us enough of the whole 'vampire out for revenge' thing. So no, my story will have neither of these. In case you were wondering. **

**That being said, please review! I'll try and get the next (and better) chapter up ASAP!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

**(Brooke's POV) **

By the time I woke up, my back was sore and I had a headache. Those wolves had been howling all night, _again_, and there was one wolf in particular, who sounded louder than the rest. His howls were long, and almost painful, but I really didn't give a damn. I just wanted my sleep.

My back felt sore after yesterday's fall, and I mentally cursed Seth Clearwater. Even after I hadn't shown up with Cherry at the bonfire, he kept calling. At one point, I wondered whether he would actually come to my house and drag me all the way there. He finally gave up calling around midnight, which is when I finally got to sleep. Then the stupid wolf started howling.

I dragged myself out of bed, just as my phone started buzzing again. Furious, I grabbed it roughly and stuck it to my ear, ready to give Seth a piece of my mind.

"For god's sake, would you _please_ get a life?" I yelled into the phone. There was a pause on the other end, followed by a voice that was definitely not Seth's.

"Uh, wow. Is this a bad time?"

Eyes widening, I nearly dropped the phone as I realized that I'd just screamed my head off at someone that was not Seth.

"Brianne?" I asked, surprised. "I'm so sorry, I thought you were someone else!"

"I figured," she replied, sounding kind of amused. "Don't worry about it, it happens all the time."

"Really? Never mind. What's up?"

"Well… Rachel and I are heading into town to do some shopping. There's like, this huge party next weekend, and we want to get dresses. Are you coming or what?" she asked eagerly.

"I don't think I'm invited."

"To the party? Don't worry, I'll talk to Todd, and you'll get your invite on Monday. It's not like it's exclusive or something, half the reservation is going. So are you in?"

"Sure. I'll be there."

x-x xxx – xx- -

Aunt Jenna was actually pretty happy when she found out that I wanted to hang out with someone. I guess she'd been kind of scared that I'd mope around alone, and wouldn't make any friends. Especially since I clearly didn't get along with Cherry's buddies.

"Of _course_ you can go! I've met Brianne's mother, she's a very sweet lady. I'm glad you're making some nice friends, Brooke."

I just nodded, passing Uncle Mark the orange juice across the breakfast table. He smiled in thanks as he glanced up from his newspaper.

"Where do you girls plan to go?" he asked me.

"Um, I don't know. Brianne never mentioned," I admitted. I honestly had no clue where people went shopping on the reservation. There were clearly no decent clothing stores, and the nearest town was Forks. I highly doubted that had a mall either. "What's nearest?"

"Port Angeles, I suppose," Aunt Jenna replied. "Plenty of nice stores there."

"Plenty of crime too," replied Uncle Mark, disapprovingly. He showed me the headlines of the newspaper that he was reading. "Two kids were founded murdered yesterday. Brother and sister, their bodies were mutilated and thrown in a dumpster. Practically drained of blood."

I winced, picturing the horrible sight. Luckily, the newspaper hadn't provided any images.

"Crap. Do they know who did it?"

"Not yet. Police suspect some kind of a blood feud. But to kill two innocent children over something so stupid… sometimes it doesn't feel like we live in the twenty-first century."

I nodded in agreement, before I heard a loud honk outside the house. Surprised, I quickly drained my orange juice, and grabbed my stuff.

"Wow, Brianne must be here already! I'm heading out. Bye Aunt Jenna, Uncle Mark,"

I slipped my shoes on, and grabbed my bag before opening the front door. To my surprise, instead of Brianne, I ran into Seth Clearwater standing at my doorstep, smiling widely. He looked fresh and wide awake as usual.

"Seth?"

"Hi!" he greeted me, looking a little too cheerful. "Had a good night's sleep?"

"I would have if you didn't keep calling me," I replied irritably. "What are you even doing here? I heard a car honk."

"Oh, that would be Jake. He's headed down to Forks today, so he dropped me off and left. I thought we could hang out or something, since we didn't get to last night."

I almost breathed a sigh of relief, as I saw another car pull up outside the driveway. There were two girls sitting in the front seats, and Brianne stuck her hand out of the window to wave at me.

"I can't. I have plans, " I told him simply. Seth looked at Brianne's car, and then back at me.

"Who are they?"

"Friends. I'll see you around, Seth, bye!"

Before he could protest or say anything else, I'd pushed past him and quickly slid into the backseat of Brianne's car. We sped off, and I felt a bit of satisfaction as I saw him stare after us blankly. He deserved it.

"Wasn't that Seth Clearwater?" Rachel wanted to know, as she turned in her seat to look at me. "What was he doing at your house?"

"Nothing," I replied, with a shrug. My phone started buzzing, and I gave her an apologetic look before pulling it out of my bag. The caller ID said 'Seth', and I quickly cut the call. Turning my cell phone off, I put it back inside. "So, where are we headed?"

"Port Angeles."

x- x- x-xxx –xx – x-x x- x-

Hanging out with Rachel and Brianne was a lot more fun than I expected it to be. Neither of them were the 'try-on-everything-in-the-store-and-buy-nothing' types, so it wasn't unbearable. We did a lot more messing around, trying on stupid stuff than serious shopping. By the time it was lunch, Rachel was the only one who'd found a dress, and all I had was a stitch in my side from laughing so hard.

"Oh, this is _so _going on Facebook!" Rachel said gleefully, showing me a picture she'd taken of Brianne wearing a large feathered hat and studded sunglasses. I giggled, and Brianne rolled her eyes.

"Oh, come on, give me a break. I'm exhausted. Is it time for lunch, or what?"

We all sat down in Subway because Rachel protested against McDonalds, saying that there were way too many calories. Personally, I didn't care either way, although Brianne teased her a little about being too self-conscious.

"And this is coming from the girl who was on a diet until two weeks ago," Rachel retorted, with a roll of her eyes. Brianne just shrugged.

"That was stupid of me. Anyway, I got over it after that ass Liam dumped me. I mean, _he_ dumped me! He's lucky I even went out with him in the first place!"

"I thought you were over that."

"Of course I'm over that. I found myself somebody else, didn't I?" she replied smugly.

"Who?" I asked, giving her a curious look. Brianne hadn't mentioned that she was going out with somebody else. She replied by giving me an irritated look.

"Gosh, weren't you _listening _the other day? Embry Call!"

I nearly choked on my sandwich. Quickly taking the bottle of water that Rachel offered me, I swallowed the bite and then turned to Brianne.

"But he's going out with Cherry!"

"Okay, apparently you _weren't_ listening," Brianne replied, sounding annoyed. "Like I said before, Cherry told me herself that they weren't going out. He's single. Trust me."

I sighed. He definitely _wasn't_ single, not after what I'd seen on Friday night, at least. But Brianne really seemed to like him. I wasn't sure how to break it to her without upsetting her.

"Look, Brianne, I don't know when Cherry told you that, but they must have gotten together afterwards," I told her, trying to be as gentle as possible. "I'm a hundred percent sure that they're together right now."

"Oh."

I wasn't sure how to decipher Brianne's expression, whether she was really upset or disappointed. Honestly, she didn't seem all that affected. Or maybe she just didn't want to show it. It _was _a slightly embarrassing situation to be in, after all. Rachel smiled at Brianne sympathetically.

"Gosh, Ria, don't worry. You can find someone better. Those Quileute boys weren't all that hot anyway," she said, dismissively.

"Though if you're _really _set on them, you can have Seth Clearwater," I muttered under my breath. I hadn't really intended for either of them to hear me, but Brianne did, and she made a face.

"Ew. Why would I go out with Seth Clearwater? He's younger than me, by like, a year," Brianne replied, looking slightly disgusted. "Anyway, it doesn't matter. I came here to get an amazing outfit for the party, and I'm getting it whether or not there's a guy that I need to impress. So come on. Nobody goes home until I find my dress."

Once we were done eating, we headed back to the stores. I started getting a little bored, and after Brianne had narrowed it down to two dresses, and simply couldn't decide which, I figured that I needed a break. My legs were hurting from not having any place to sit in the store, and nothing was to my taste.

"Guys, I'm just going to head outside for a few minutes," I told them, getting up. "My legs are cramping, so I'm going to walk in the corridor."

"Okay, we'll meet you once we're done with check-out," Brianne assured me, and I left the store, taking a relieved breath of fresh air once I stepped outside. The mall wasn't particularly crowded, and as I walked aimlessly up and down the stretch, I spotted a book store that I decided to slip into. After glancing at the bestsellers rack, I skimmed through a few random books. Most of it was stuff I'd read before, and the rest I wasn't interested in. I finally found a John Grisham that I hadn't read before, but when I picked it up, the back cover was torn. Damn. And this was the only copy on the shelf.

"Um, excuse me?" I asked, spotting a guy that was wearing the navy blue employee uniform. I grabbed the book and headed over to him, careful not to tear the cover even more. "Do you have another copy of this? It's sort of damaged…"

The guy turned around, and I froze when I saw him. He was _beautiful_. He had perfect pale skin, a crooked smile, and I swear, with that body, he could be a model. He chuckled a little when he saw me.

"Wow, this is the second time this is happening today. I'm sorry, but I don't work here," he said, sounding more amused than annoyed. I blinked at him, before realizing that he wasn't wearing the employee uniform at all. It was a similar shade of blue, yes, but it wasn't the same shirt. Embarrassed, I quickly apologized.

"Shoot, I'm so sorry! I just thought- your shirt, it looks a lot like what they're wearing, so…"

"Don't worry about it. I had an old woman who was half-blind approach me before, but I wasn't expecting such a pretty lady to make the same mistake."

"Um…" I paused, unsure what to say. Was the 'pretty lady' part a compliment or was he implying that I was just as blind as an old woman? "Right, sorry to disturb you. I'll just go."

He flashed me a pearly white smile in return, and I turned quickly to leave. Before I could take a few steps though, his arm shot out and gently grabbed my wrist. I jumped in surprise.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," he apologized, kindly. "It's just that there's another copy of that book on the shelf down there."

He pointed, and I followed his finger, squinting to see the book a few shelves away. I wondered how he'd seen it so quickly, but I decided not to ask. I just smiled and thanked him.

x-x-xx x-x-

When Rachel and Brianne found me, they were clutching tickets for some movie that they'd managed to get. It was some slightly lame romantic comedy, but we had a blast laughing and cracking our own jokes throughout. An elderly couple in the row before us actually had to ask us to pipe down. Then Brianne's phone started ringing really loudly, and they got even more pissed off. Brianne ended up cutting the call because it was just her mom, and she could call her back later. It was past dark by the time we headed back home. Brianne dropped me off first, and I waved goodbye to her and Rachel.

"See you in school tomorrow," Brianne told me, smiling. "Don't worry, I'll totally call Todd tonight and tell him to get you an invitation to the party."

"Cool, thanks. Bye, guys."

They drove off, and I smiled to myself, before jogging up the porch. I quickly pushed the door open, and hurried into the warmth of the living room. Cherry and Embry were sitting there on the sofa, and I grinned at them.

"Hey, why so gloomy?" I asked, referring to the fact that they both looked kind of serious. I wondered if everything was okay. "I had a nice day, did you?"

"_Where have you been?" _Cherry demanded, her expression furious. Her eyes were wide, and she was giving me a death glare. Slightly surprised, I just shrugged. What was she so mad about?

"I went to Port Angeles with-"

"I know _that_!" she snapped, and I glared back at her. Embry looked more concerned than annoyed, and he placed a hand on her shoulder. "I meant why haven't you been answering your phone? Do you have _any _idea how many problems you caused today?"

My phone? Quickly reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my cell phone which was switched off. Cursing silently, I remembered that I'd turned it off because Seth had called. I glanced up at Cherry. She was looking at me expectantly.

"Well?"

"I turned it off earlier today."

She scoffed.

"Oh, that's nice, you turned it _off. _Fantastic. Well, while your phone's been turned off, practically the entire reservation is out looking for you, genius! What possessed you to go to Port Angeles? Didn't you hear about the murders?"

I stared at her. What did the murders have to do with me? Hadn't Uncle Mark said that they were some kind of a blood feud? As far as I knew, my family didn't have any mortal enemies, so I had no need to be worried. I opened my mouth to retort, but before I could say anything, Embry interrupted me.

"Sam, Paul and Seth are back," he said calmly, and a few seconds later, the front door burst open and all three of them ran in. I just stared at them before turning to Cherry.

"What the hell are they doing here?" I demanded, angrily. I turned back to see that Paul was glaring at me, and Seth just looked sort of frozen. I couldn't even decipher the expression on his face. Sam was the only one who remained calm.

"Well, this is good news," Sam said, simply. "Paul, go get Jared and the rest, and tell them that Brooke is safe. You'd also better run down to Forks and tell the Cullens. Embry, go with Cherry and find her parents. I'll call Charlie and tell him to call off the search party."

"_Search party_?" I demanded, suddenly realizing how serious the situation was. "There's a search party out for me? I was gone for a few hours, what did you do, call the cops?"

Nobody responded. Embry grabbed Cherry's hand and started to head out of the door. Before they could leave, though, Paul put out a hand and stopped them. He was still glaring at me, his eyes dark and dangerous.

"Wait. She smells like them."

There was a shocked silence in the room, and I had to wonder if he really was talking about me. Did I smell? Seriously? And even if I did, that was a pretty rude way to tell somebody. I narrowed my eyes at him, while both Embry and Sam took deep breaths. My eyes widened in disgust. Were they trying to _smell _me? That's just disturbing!

"You're right. It's strong. One of them touched her," Sam muttered, while I gaped at him. "We'll deal with it later. First we need to call off the search. Seth, stay with Brooke until we come back."

And with that, all of them ran out. I was left staring after them for a few seconds, still trying to process what had happened. I slowly turned to Seth, who was staring at me silently. What was his problem? Wasn't he usually talking so fast that he gave me a headache?

"What's going on?" I asked him, deciding that I would get some answers. He just shook his head, and walked past me, sinking down onto the sofa. He put his head into his hands, and I was suddenly concerned. Was he alright? "Seth?"

I walked over, putting a hand on his shoulder. He flinched slightly, but I didn't remove it. I could feel him trembling. Scared, I shook his shoulder, trying to get him to look at me. "Seth!"

He didn't look at me. He stared straight ahead, and after a few seconds, the trembling stopped. He shook my hand off of his shoulder, and sat there silently.

"What, are you mad at me or something?" I demanded. "Why the hell is everyone mad at me? It's not like I ran away or something, I _told _Aunt Jenna and Uncle Mark where I was going! You have absolutely _no right_ to be pissed off, it's your fault I turned my phone off in the first place!"

"I thought you were dead."

He said it quietly; so quietly that I wasn't even sure if I'd heard him right. I just paused, and he turned to look at me, his eyes full of pain.

"What?"

"I thought you were dead. I thought I'd lost you."

My stomach lurched. I wasn't sure what went through me then, but I felt a sudden urge to hug Seth. To hold him tight and tell him that everything was okay. But it passed away after a few seconds, and I managed to regain my composure. I took a step away from him, startled by my own feelings.

"Y-You really don't need to care so much," I mumbled.

"But I do. I can't help it."

"Well, maybe you should try not to."

Seth looked up at me, his mouth set into a straight line. His eyes were red and puffy, and he looked broken.

"Maybe I should."


End file.
